Being given too many holidays

HouseTargaryen

My work has an online system for booking and requesting holidays. Your request goes to your line manager for approval and then your holiday entitlement is updated. As I work part time with different hours on different days of the week, my holiday entitlement is calculated in hours not days.

I emailed HR last year to tell them that my holiday hour entitlement seems too high and that I think there is an error. I got an email back saying they checked it and it is correct. I emailed back asking if she's sure and provided my calculations (I studied finance so not bad at math). Again she emailed back stating that the calculations have been done based on my hours and are correct. So I put it down to me not fully understanding and as a relatively new staff member, I didn't want to tell HR that they don't know how to do their job, even though I still thought I was right. 

I can see that in their calculations (before pro rata adjustments) that they have put me down for 30 holidays a year and 21 office closure days. A total of 51. It should be 25 and 12, not 30 and 21.

I've booked 31 days for 2021 already and I'm tempted to book the rest in the coming months. Would you? 

MovingForwards

If you worked full-time, how many holiday days would you have?

Do you work bank holidays?

How many hours do you work a week?

HouseTargaryen

I would get 37 days a year paid holiday if I was full time. Bank holidays are taken using the holiday entitlement. I work 21 hours. 

General_Grant

HouseTargaryen said:

My work has an online system for booking and requesting holidays. Your request goes to your line manager for approval and then your holiday entitlement is updated. As I work part time with different hours on different days of the week, my holiday entitlement is calculated in hours not days.

I emailed HR last year to tell them that my holiday hour entitlement seems too high and that I think there is an error. I got an email back saying they checked it and it is correct. I emailed back asking if she's sure and provided my calculations (I studied finance so not bad at math). Again she emailed back stating that the calculations have been done based on my hours and are correct. So I put it down to me not fully understanding and as a relatively new staff member, I didn't want to tell HR that they don't know how to do their job, even though I still thought I was right. 

I can see that in their calculations (before pro rata adjustments) that they have put me down for 30 holidays a year and 21 office closure days. A total of 51. It should be 25 and 12, not 30 and 21.

I've booked 31 days for 2021 already and I'm tempted to book the rest in the coming months. Would you? 

HouseTargaryen said:

I would get 37 days a year paid holiday if I was full time. Bank holidays are taken using the holiday entitlement. I work 21 hours. 

How many hours a week does a full-time person work?
Do you work the same number of hours on specified days of the week?  I know you say you work different hours on different days but, for example, do you always work 4 hours on Monday, 3 on Tuesday, and 7 on Wednesday and Friday and never work Thursday?  
[And I wouldn't book more holiday than I thought I was truly entitled to - but I'd be looking at the holidays in terms of hours, not days.]

TELLIT01

Working different hours on different days, as well as working part time, can make the calculation of the number of days that equates to extremely difficult.  For example, a person is told they have 100 hours holiday entitlement and works 8 hours on Monday and 4 hours on a Friday.  Booking all holidays on a Monday would result in 12 1/2 days holiday entitlement but booking on a Friday would give 25 days.

I would suggest taking this up with their immediate line manager and explain to them face to face why the figures provided appear to be wrong.  As HR has given a written breakdown that should help in explaining the problem as perceived by the OP.

Fighter1986

How many hours does the system think each of these days it has given you equate to?

You might find that the number of hours hiding behind "30 holidays" and "21 office closure days" is fewer than you think. 

Undervalued

HouseTargaryen said:

My work has an online system for booking and requesting holidays. Your request goes to your line manager for approval and then your holiday entitlement is updated. As I work part time with different hours on different days of the week, my holiday entitlement is calculated in hours not days.

I emailed HR last year to tell them that my holiday hour entitlement seems too high and that I think there is an error. I got an email back saying they checked it and it is correct. I emailed back asking if she's sure and provided my calculations (I studied finance so not bad at math). Again she emailed back stating that the calculations have been done based on my hours and are correct. So I put it down to me not fully understanding and as a relatively new staff member, I didn't want to tell HR that they don't know how to do their job, even though I still thought I was right. 

I can see that in their calculations (before pro rata adjustments) that they have put me down for 30 holidays a year and 21 office closure days. A total of 51. It should be 25 and 12, not 30 and 21.

I've booked 31 days for 2021 already and I'm tempted to book the rest in the coming months. Would you? 

No!

You clearly know they have made a mistake. Even if you didn't and "innocently" took the additional days they would be quite entitled to correct the matter when they realised.

Just as an employer is entitled to reclaim any accidental overpayment of wages. In such cases most would allow the money to be paid back in "easy instalments" but they are not obliged to be so accommodating!

oh_really

How many days pw do you work?

The employer has been given every opportunity to check and review the situation, I'd argue that this isn't an error and your employer is best placed to implement their own annual leave policy.

avawat20

If you know there's an error and you're going to take advantage then no. It's misconduct. Go to them with this information. Otherwise you are taking their money and time that is not rightfully yours and now that you know - it's not a mistake, it's in purpose. Is it worth losing your job?